Tuesday, 5 August 2008

DEALING WITH A RACIST

Paul sends a racist packing

Here's a true story told in rhyme, how my friend Paul Styles (featured in a previous post) had the cahones to challenge a campground racist and how effective the challenge was. I was too chicken to do what needed to be done, preferring to be liked rather than standing up for principle. I'll remember this bit of cowardice the next time I hear racism. The least I can do is celebrate the courage of Paul.

THE PRICE OF PREJUDICE

We call him cowboy and now he liveson the fringe of our campground south.What put him out there on the edgewas his offensive mouth.

He’d say “nigger this and nigger that”“rotten government bunch”till we’d all cringe and passivelyexcuse ourselves for lunch.

And then one day Mr Paul drove in;introduced himself all roundand eventually made his friendly wayto cowboy’s camping ground.

Predictably, the foul mouthed buckarooin just three minutes flatbegan his prejudicial spew:“nigger this and that.”

“How long have you been a racist?” asked Paul,cutting to the heart of the matter.The first to ever really challengecowboy”s offensive patter.

Stunned and ashamed, cowboy sputteredlike Adam without his leaf,embarrassed to be caught red handed,like some chicken thief.

Sensing that he was no longer welcomein the company of the civilizedhe slithered away to the social wasteland;looks back with hollow eyes.

A single challenge and he was hurledto the wastelands mud and damp.soon the racist of our worldwill have no place to camp.